WEEKLY UPDATE
March 07, 2011
BEN
After struggling with a series of sicknesses, Ben seemed to be doing better and even returned to school last week. However, last Tuesday night at 2:00 in the morning he awoke with severe pain in his lower back and his breathing was abnormal. After waiting it out, the pain did not subside and after calling our family doctor we headed to an emergency room in Budapest.
Praise God that Ben was able to sleep on the way over to the hospital. This was my first time going to this hospital and after stopping and speaking with various attendants at four different locations at the hospital complex, we found the emergency room.
The doctor on call examined Ben’s stomach and appendix and determined that this was a respiratory problem and sent us to pediatric care. After a blood test, a chest x-ray and further examination the doctors determined that Ben had an early stage of pneumonia. Although this is a serious sickness, we praise God that it wasn’t what we first suspected (which would have required surgery). We appreciate all of your prayers and support through this time when we were in the hospital.
We roomed with a mother of two year old twins. It turned out that this mother was an english teacher (God is sovereign). We had brief conversations over the two days we were together, but nothing spiritual. Before leaving, I asked if I could pray for her daughter Tamara. She agreed. Afterwards, I gave her a tract and information about our English Camps. I have no idea what will happen with these seeds. May God be gracious to her family and reveal Himself to each of them.
Above: Ben qualified to represent his school in a Hungarian grammar competition held in Gyöngyös today. After the competition, we headed to the doctors for a follow up visit. Ben will continue to take antibiotics this week and is recovering well.
JÁSZFÉNYSZARU
As most of you know, we have a new relationship with some Christians from Jászfényszaru (20 minute drive from Petőfibánya) who have begun commuting to our church on Sundays. János is an evangelist who lives in that area and has begun meeting with Miki in a mentor relationship.
Above: Jászfényszaru. We are excited about the prospects of a future church plant in this area and how God might use us to encourage and support that work.
FRIDAY VOLLEYBALL
SATURDAY SOCCER
I have joined some men in Jászfényszaru over the past few weeks to play soccer on Saturdays. The majority of these men do not know Jesus and this is a great opportunity to get to know them and look for open doors to share God’s good news.
Since this town is a twenty minute drive, I have ample opportunity to talk to Peti’s brother Márk who has visited our church in the past and has seen the changes in his brother Peti’s life since coming to put his faith in Jesus. We have discussed issues such as anxiety in life, fear and depression. I shared my own struggles with spiritual suffering and how Jesus has changed my life. I was also able to share that medications for such things (in most cases) only deal with the symptom to spiritual problems, but never heal the root cause. I challenged Márk to consider looking for healing for the root of the problem of living in fear and anxiety.
As I met the guys I would be playing with in Jászfényszaru, one of the men looked familiar. It turns out that when he was a teen, he used to attend our soccer outreach years ago in Petőfibánya. From what I remember, this is one of the teens who was the wildest, even sneaking in alcohol on one occasion. Now he is 20 years old and has two kids and lives in Jászfényszaru. He works with church member Peti and I can’t help but see God’s love chasing after this fallen man. It is our hope that as summer approaches, we will be able to organize family outings and get to know entire families in this town. May the Lord open up doors with each of these men, that they may come to know Jesus Christ.
As I rotated out of one soccer match, breathing fast and feeling my age I began to recount the many ways Jesus has graciously brought healing to my physical body. He healed me from asthma, so that I no longer have attacks when I run. He healed me from seasonal allergies that truly made life horrible in the summer. He healed me from my bought with GERD where I had a restricted diet, stomach pain and difficulty breathing normally every night. Now I’m back to eating a normal diet, can enjoy spicy foods and have no more pain in my stomach. God has been gracious to me, truly gracious.
SUNDAY WORSHIP
It is so encouraging when we see evidence of the Holy Spirit at work. Péter who preached on Sunday gave a message on the changes in the apostle Peter’s life, comparing and contrasting who he was in his early years and how he was transformed through knowing Jesus and the Spirit’s sanctifying work.
Before this message, Niki (above) came to talk with Sharon about challenges in her faith. After service, she nudged Sharon and said, “That was pretty clear wasn’t it”. In other words, Péter who had no knowledge of what was happening in Niki’s life seemed to be speaking directly to her.
Above: Gyula with his father Gyula.
Gyula also approached me after service and shared how the message encouraged him to continue to mature in his faith. I noticed that Gyula was a bit “off” in our baptism/foundations of faith class before service. He seemed distracted and even had trouble praying. I was so thankful for the Spirit’s work in using Péter’s message to encourage both Gyula and Niki in their faith in Christ.
Miki spent some time this past week with Gyula’s father helping with practical needs. We are thankful that Gyula’s father responded to an invitation to come to church on Sunday. He was very open after service and shared some of his struggles that lead him to being confined at home. His coming this Sunday was truly amazing and I’m thankful for Miki’s intentional acts of expressing the love of God in the community that draw people like Gyula to the church for the first time.
Above: Roland and Dezső.
Above: Celebrating Eszti’s birthday after service.
A BIT MORE SUN A BIT MORE FUN
Above: Kira and Ellie enjoying warmer weather outside.
Thank you all for your continued support through prayer and financial giving!
After struggling with a series of sicknesses, Ben seemed to be doing better and even returned to school last week. However, last Tuesday night at 2:00 in the morning he awoke with severe pain in his lower back and his breathing was abnormal. After waiting it out, the pain did not subside and after calling our family doctor we headed to an emergency room in Budapest.
Praise God that Ben was able to sleep on the way over to the hospital. This was my first time going to this hospital and after stopping and speaking with various attendants at four different locations at the hospital complex, we found the emergency room.
The doctor on call examined Ben’s stomach and appendix and determined that this was a respiratory problem and sent us to pediatric care. After a blood test, a chest x-ray and further examination the doctors determined that Ben had an early stage of pneumonia. Although this is a serious sickness, we praise God that it wasn’t what we first suspected (which would have required surgery). We appreciate all of your prayers and support through this time when we were in the hospital.
We roomed with a mother of two year old twins. It turned out that this mother was an english teacher (God is sovereign). We had brief conversations over the two days we were together, but nothing spiritual. Before leaving, I asked if I could pray for her daughter Tamara. She agreed. Afterwards, I gave her a tract and information about our English Camps. I have no idea what will happen with these seeds. May God be gracious to her family and reveal Himself to each of them.
Above: Ben qualified to represent his school in a Hungarian grammar competition held in Gyöngyös today. After the competition, we headed to the doctors for a follow up visit. Ben will continue to take antibiotics this week and is recovering well.
JÁSZFÉNYSZARU
As most of you know, we have a new relationship with some Christians from Jászfényszaru (20 minute drive from Petőfibánya) who have begun commuting to our church on Sundays. János is an evangelist who lives in that area and has begun meeting with Miki in a mentor relationship.
Above: Jászfényszaru. We are excited about the prospects of a future church plant in this area and how God might use us to encourage and support that work.
FRIDAY VOLLEYBALL
SATURDAY SOCCER
I have joined some men in Jászfényszaru over the past few weeks to play soccer on Saturdays. The majority of these men do not know Jesus and this is a great opportunity to get to know them and look for open doors to share God’s good news.
Since this town is a twenty minute drive, I have ample opportunity to talk to Peti’s brother Márk who has visited our church in the past and has seen the changes in his brother Peti’s life since coming to put his faith in Jesus. We have discussed issues such as anxiety in life, fear and depression. I shared my own struggles with spiritual suffering and how Jesus has changed my life. I was also able to share that medications for such things (in most cases) only deal with the symptom to spiritual problems, but never heal the root cause. I challenged Márk to consider looking for healing for the root of the problem of living in fear and anxiety.
As I met the guys I would be playing with in Jászfényszaru, one of the men looked familiar. It turns out that when he was a teen, he used to attend our soccer outreach years ago in Petőfibánya. From what I remember, this is one of the teens who was the wildest, even sneaking in alcohol on one occasion. Now he is 20 years old and has two kids and lives in Jászfényszaru. He works with church member Peti and I can’t help but see God’s love chasing after this fallen man. It is our hope that as summer approaches, we will be able to organize family outings and get to know entire families in this town. May the Lord open up doors with each of these men, that they may come to know Jesus Christ.
As I rotated out of one soccer match, breathing fast and feeling my age I began to recount the many ways Jesus has graciously brought healing to my physical body. He healed me from asthma, so that I no longer have attacks when I run. He healed me from seasonal allergies that truly made life horrible in the summer. He healed me from my bought with GERD where I had a restricted diet, stomach pain and difficulty breathing normally every night. Now I’m back to eating a normal diet, can enjoy spicy foods and have no more pain in my stomach. God has been gracious to me, truly gracious.
SUNDAY WORSHIP
It is so encouraging when we see evidence of the Holy Spirit at work. Péter who preached on Sunday gave a message on the changes in the apostle Peter’s life, comparing and contrasting who he was in his early years and how he was transformed through knowing Jesus and the Spirit’s sanctifying work.
Before this message, Niki (above) came to talk with Sharon about challenges in her faith. After service, she nudged Sharon and said, “That was pretty clear wasn’t it”. In other words, Péter who had no knowledge of what was happening in Niki’s life seemed to be speaking directly to her.
Above: Gyula with his father Gyula.
Gyula also approached me after service and shared how the message encouraged him to continue to mature in his faith. I noticed that Gyula was a bit “off” in our baptism/foundations of faith class before service. He seemed distracted and even had trouble praying. I was so thankful for the Spirit’s work in using Péter’s message to encourage both Gyula and Niki in their faith in Christ.
Miki spent some time this past week with Gyula’s father helping with practical needs. We are thankful that Gyula’s father responded to an invitation to come to church on Sunday. He was very open after service and shared some of his struggles that lead him to being confined at home. His coming this Sunday was truly amazing and I’m thankful for Miki’s intentional acts of expressing the love of God in the community that draw people like Gyula to the church for the first time.
Above: Roland and Dezső.
Above: Celebrating Eszti’s birthday after service.
A BIT MORE SUN A BIT MORE FUN
Above: Kira and Ellie enjoying warmer weather outside.
Thank you all for your continued support through prayer and financial giving!
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